Knotter.



B. H. & R. N. BUNN.

KNQTTER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.17, 1912.

1,097,527., Patented May 19, 1914.

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UNITED STATESQELLIENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN H. BUNN AND ROMANZO N. BUNN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

KNO'ITER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1914.

Application f led August 17, 1912. Serial No. 715,579.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, BENJAMIN H. BUNN and RoMANzo N. BUNN, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knc-tters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism for tying knots in string, twine or the like, after it has been passed around a bundle, package or other article to be bound or tied, and is particularly applicable to parcel tiers such as shown in our application, Serial No. 596,482. In devices of this character as usually constructed, the completion of a knot is usually mainly dependent upon the move ment of the bundle away from the knotter beak, such movement usually being in alinement with the beak. method of tying is usually to loosen the string more or less on account of a certain amount of slack being produced when the string passes off from the knotter. In tying parcels or packages, and particularly bundles of letters'or the like, it is often neces sary and desirable to have the string drawn firmly around the package and the knot tied as close to the package as possible so ghat the bundle or package would be firmly eld.

One of the principal objects of our improved knotter mechanism is to provide a knotter which will tend to assist in tightening the string around the package and which will tie the knot as close to the package as possible while permitting little or no slackness after the knot has been tied.

Other desirable features and advantages of our improved knotter will be more fully described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings showing our invention, Figure 1 is a side view of the knotter shown detached from the machine with which it is to be used; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Figs. 3 4 and 5 are details showing the knotter beak; and Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are details illustrating the method of operation.

As shown in these drawings, 9 represents the main support of the knotter which may be mounted in the machine in which the knotter is to be used, in any desired manner. The main jaw 10, of the knotter is mounted at the upper end of a shaft 11, which has its The result of such.

bearing in the front end of the support 9. This shaft is provided with apinion 12 which meshes with a pinion 13 at the end of a shaft 14, which is mounted at right angles to the shaft 11. The shaft 1 1 is provided with a pinion or gear wheel 15 which on gages with any suitable gear or turning mechanism (not shown) on the machine for turning the knotter. The lower or relatively movable jaw 16, of the knotter is pivoted at 17 to the jaw 10, the latter being preferably slotted to receive the movable jaw, this movable jaw is provided with a roller 18 at its lower end, or end opposite to the beak or string engaging portion, which roller engages with the cam surface 19 at the end of the bearing for the shaft 11. This arrangement is such that the lower end of the jaw will be swung outwardly at the proper time in order to cause the jaws to open to receive the string or cord. The beak or portion of these jaws which engage with the string are comparatively long and narrow and the lower jaw 16 is provided to ward the backor inner end thereof with a projection 20 for assisting in holding the string at a certain time. This projection forms an exceedingly desirable feature as it greatly assists in enabling the knotter to tie closely twisted string or twine which is preferably used for tying various kinds ofpackages and which usually has a comparatively smooth hard surface.

The devices so far described are somewhat similar in general arrangement to knotters heretofore used, in which the knot is completed by pulling the string off from the knotter by the movement of the package or bundle. However in our improved knotter, we provide a third or longitudinally movable jaw 21 which co-acts with the jaws 10 and 1G in making the knot. The 21 is shaped or formed at its forward end 22 so as to engage closely at times with the sides of the jaws 10 and 16 in order to engage with the outer loop of string to.push it over the ends of these jaws. The longitudinally movable jaw 21 is pivoted at 23 to a slide 24: which is mounted in the support 9 and suitable mechanism (not shown) may be provided for reciprocating this slide at the proper time. The jaw or finger 21 is provided with a projection 25 beyond the pivot 23 which engages with a cam surface 26 when the slide moves forward, in order to 110 close engagement with the beak of the knotter.

The method of operation or" the knotting mechanism will be readily understood from the above description in connection with the illustrations shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. As shown in Fig. 6, the ends 27 of the string or cord indicate the portion thereof passing around the package or bundle while the ends 28 indicate the portion extending to the string holder, the knotter having been turned to engage with the cord or twine to make the usual loop around the beak and to receive the ends 28 between the jaws, these ends being clearly shown in position behind the projection 20. It will be seen that the portion of the cord indicated at 2? is substantially at right angles to the beak,

which is preferable for tying the knot close to the package, but the movement of the package away from the knotter in such a direction would not pull the cord off from the beak as is usually done. In order to complete the knot and to increase the tension of the cord around the package as much as possible, the jaw 21 moves forward and engages with the loop 29 or that portion of the cord passing around the jaws. The further movement of the jaw 21, as indicated in Figs. 7 and 8, first pushes the loop over the end of the beak to complete the knot and finally pushes the string a sufficient distance so that it disengages from the projection 20, the knot in the meantime having been formed close up to the package as indicated in Fig. 8. After theknot'has-been con1- pleted, the portion of the string between the knot and the holder is severed in the usual manner and the parts again returned to normal position for the .next operation. It ,will be readilyseen that this mechanism will accomplish the objects above suggested and provides means whereby a secure knot may be tied in various kinds of cord or twine, and particularlythose ofa closely twisted nature, and provide means fortying the knots as close as possible to the package or article which-is being bound or tied.

Various changes in thedetails of construction or arrangement of parts may possibly be made without departing from the spirit of this invention, and-therefore, we do not wish to be limi ed to the exact construction set forth, except as specified in the appended claims, in which- What we claim and desire Letters Patent is:

1. In a knotter for a tying machine, the combination with the knotter jaws around which the ends of the cordare first wound, and between which the ends are then received. (me. of said jaws havin a DI'OlGCtlOIl to secure by nosagsaa for holding the cord well back between them, of a stripper slidably engaging with said jaws for pushing the loop formed around the jaws off from the same, whereby the ends held between the jaws will be drawn through said loop to complete the knot and take up the slack.

2. In a knotter for tying apparatus, the combination of a aw, a second aw pivotally mounted thereto, means for actuating said jaws, whereby the cord to be tied will be first wound around the jaws and vthe ends then received between said jaws, and a stripper for pushin the portion'of the cord around the jaws o from the ends of the same while the portions of the cord between the jaws are still held thereby, the end of said stripper being formed to engage closely with the jaws, and means for holding said stripper in engagement with said jaws while it is completing the knot.

3. In a knotter, the combination witha relatively stationary jaw, of a second jaw pivoted thereto, said second jaw'being provided with a projection near the back or inner end thereof and means coasting with said jaws for pushing loops of string ofi therefrom to complete the knot and take up slack.

4. The combination with the beak of a knotter, of ajaw and means for moving the jaw longitudinally and laterally with respect to the beak for pushing the loop of string or cord around the beakoff from the same to complete the knot andtake up slack.

5. A knotter having one of its jaws provided with means adj acent-t-o the back there of for holding the portions of the string passing between the jaws whileuthe knot is being formed and means coacting with said jaws for pushing loops of string off there from to complete the knot and take up slack.

6. The combination with the beak of a knotter, of an arm pivoted adjacent thereto having one end adapted to engage with the beak for pushing the loop around the beak E and completing the knot, means for reciprocating said arm and means for pressing the end into engagement with the beak. 4 7 The combination with a knotter, of an arm pivoted adjacent thereto having one end adapted to engage with the jaws of the knotter for pushing the string around the knotter ofi'from said jaws, a projection on said am, a cam with which said projection engages for pressing the end of the arm against the jaws and means for reciprocating said arm.

BENJAMIN H. BUNN. ROMANZO N. 'BUNN. Witnesses:

JOHN W. Cassy, Go'r'r rEB KLEIN. 

